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Growing Kohlrabi

(Brassica sp.)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
			P	P	P

(Best months for planting Kohlrabi in USA - Zone 5a regions)

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
Space plants: 4 - 8 inches apart
Harvest in 7-10 weeks.
Compatible with: Beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile)
Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Mature kohlrabi

The swollen stem looks like a turnip with reddish/purple cabbage leaves, usually purple or greenish white skin.

Protect from cabbage white butterflies

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Kohlrabi

Use when young.
Scrub well, cut off leaf stalks, roots and woody parts
Young ones do not need peeling.
Can be grated raw for salads
Or cut in pieces and steam .
Use in casseroles.

Your comments and tips

25 Jan 13, Robert Capecchi (Australia - cool/mountain climate): 2 Kohlrabi (boil 25mins) transfer to chilled water, towel dry & slice 4 carrots (boil 15mins) transfer to chilled water, towel dry & slice Mix with 250grams of mozzarella and a handful of parsley. Put into a buttered baking dish and cook @ 200'c for 12 mins.
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21 Dec 12, GRANVILLE (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): HI I WAS JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHAT SHOULDN'T BE GROWN TOGETHER HAVING SEEN SOMETHINGS I PLAN TO PLANT DON'T LIKE PLANTS I ALREADY HAVE GROWING, BUT I WAS WONDERING HOW FAR AWAY THINGS HAVE TO BE NOT TO AFFECTING EACH OTHER.
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30 Aug 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Hi Amanda. When i lived in temperate Sydney, the kohlrabi was a lot less bulbous as well. Perhaps it is the region you live. Kohlrabi, and most of the family, grow slower in the cooler regions. I'm no scientist, but I've noticed this. Maybe it grows too quickly?. The same would apply to onions I think. I tried growing onions in the south of India a couple of years ago. The heat just turned them into spring onions, almost no bulb at all. Just a theory. Maybe you could try in the shady? It might work.
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30 Aug 12, Amanda Grady (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I have kohlrabi growing. Lots of leaves which are delicious cooked like spinach. Unfortunately there is no swelling at the base yet. How long should it take to start to see something. I have problem with onions not swelling also. Is this the same reason?
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27 Jul 12, adam (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Yes Ingvild, I learnt this recipe from my Dutch friends as well. It's really delicious, and you can also mash in some celeriac to go with it.
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25 Apr 12, konstantinos (Australia - temperate climate): hi my kohlrabi has holes on it any advice? thanks metiteranian climat
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28 Sep 11, Peter Kovacs (Australia - arid climate): My Mather make a howl an it with a spoon and filled with mince and rice and seasoning,cooked in the dill sauce from the inside of spooned out kohlrabi. See Hungarian recipe's.
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05 Aug 11, Ruth Rae (Australia - temperate climate): Why do half my seedlings form bulbs but tthe rest just thicken a little up the stem? These are quite useless . I have tried them at different times of the year and the result is always the same
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04 Sep 11, Roger (Australia - temperate climate): Hi Ruth; No answers but i have the same problem! No big swollen bottoms like in the photo. just thick stalks
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31 Mar 11, jack (Australia - sub-tropical climate): how is kohlabri marketed?
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Post a question, comment or tip about Kohlrabi

Replying to:

In germany I had this with white sauce as a main course.Does anyone know other ways to eat it?

- Helen Freeth

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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